The Didymocarpoideae are a subfamily of plants in the family Gesneriaceae. It was formerly the subfamily Cyrtandroideae. This subfamily consists mostly of tropical and subtropical Old World genera, found in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. One species (Rhynchoglossum azureum) is native to Central and South America.
Description Didymocarpoideae is one of two main subfamilies in the Gesneriaceae, the other being Gesnerioideae. (The third subfamily, Sanangoideae, contains only the genus Sanango.) Didymocarpoideae seedlings usually have cotyledons which become different in size and shape (anisocotylous). One cotyledon ceases to grow at some point and then withers away. The other continues to grow, and in extreme cases may grow to become very large and be the only leaf on the plant (Monophyllaea, some Streptocarpus). Didymocarpoideae flowers usually have two fertile stamens, less often four and rarely one or five. The ovary is always superior. The fruit is usually a dry capsule, although other kinds of fruit, such as a fleshy berry, are also found.
Tribes and genera A classification published in 2020 divides the subfamily into two tribes. Tribe Epithemateae
Epithema Gyrogyne Loxonia Monophyllaea Rhynchoglossum Stauranthera Whytockia
Tribe Trichosporeae
Aeschynanthus Agalmyla Allocheilos Allostigma Anna Beccarinda Billolivia Boea Boeica Bournea Briggsiopsis Cathayanthe Championia Chayamaritia Codonoboea Conandron Corallodiscus Cyrtandra Damrongia Deinostigma Didissandra Didymocarpus Didymostigma Dorcoceras Emarhendia Glabrella Gyrocheilos Haberlea Hemiboea Henckelia Hexatheca Jerdonia Kaisupeea Langbiangia Leptoboea Liebigia Litostigma Loxocarpus Loxostigma Lysionotus Metapetrocosmea Michaelmoelleria Microchirita Middletonia Orchadocarpa Oreocharis Ornithoboea Paraboea Petrocodon Petrocosmea Platystemma Primulina Pseudochirita Rachunia Ramonda, including Jankaea Raphiocarpus Rhabdothamnopsis Rhynchotechum Ridleyandra Senyumia Sepikea Somrania Spelaeanthus Streptocarpus, including Saintpaulia Tetraphyllum (syn. Tetraphylloides) Tribounia
Distribution The species of the subfamily Didymocarpoideae are native to Europe, Africa, Asia, Malesia, the Pacific and Australia, except for a single species, Rhynchoglossum azureum, which is native to the Neotropics (Central and South America).
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